16 of the
413 complaints about the 1999 Ford Escort are about the
equipment — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
150 miles.
C
16
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Exactly what failed
AIR Conditioner
850.0%
Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
425.0%
Equipment
212.5%
Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift
16.3%
Labels
16.3%
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
Abilene, TXCrash2 injured
EQUIPMENT
1999 FORD ESCORT,HAD A WRECK AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY INSURANCE ADJUSTER,THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND EVEN THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED WOW THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T EVEN DEPLOY. ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND WERE INJURED AND WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK SINCE OCTOBER 2011 AND HAVE OVER 100,000 DOLLARS ALONE IN MEDICAL BILLS AND STILL HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY. AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE WORKED LIKE THEY WERE INSTALLED TO DO. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE AT YOUR LOCATION AND SHE SAID THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL YET,BUT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FILL OUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR WORK WHEN WE HAD A ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT AND WE WERE IN A 1999 FORD ESCORT.
NHTSA complaint #10458854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 150 milesMontgomery, AL
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH OF HER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2007. A DAY OR TWO LATER, THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE RADIO AND CLOCK IN THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON AND OFF AND MADE A STRANGE NOISE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,964 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150. UPDATED 5/19/08 *CN THE GEAR LIGHT WENT OUT. THE MARKER LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED
NHTSA complaint #10225715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 150 milesMontgomery, AL
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH OF HER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2007. A DAY OR TWO LATER, THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE RADIO AND CLOCK IN THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON AND OFF AND MADE A STRANGE NOISE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,964 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150. UPDATED 5/19/08 *CN THE GEAR LIGHT WENT OUT. THE MARKER LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED
NHTSA complaint #10225715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesReynoldsburg, OH
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING HOT AIR JUNE 2002 TOOK IN FOR REPAIR AND RICART FORD CLAIMED IT WAS THE MODULE. THE PART WAS NOT COVERED ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN AND IT WAS OVER $500 TO REPAIR. DECLINED REPAIRS. THE FOLLOWING SPRING AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN WORKING ON ITS OWN APRIL 2003. JULY 2003 THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING HOT AIR AND WOULD BLOW OUT COLD AIR IF IN THE SHADE OR TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS COOL. AT THIS TIME THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT FUNCTIONING.
NHTSA complaint #10047327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA complaint #8020316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lancaster, CA
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THERE IS A 11,000 BACK ORDER FOR THE FAN CONTROL/DEFECTED PART.
NHTSA complaint #763715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Portland, ME
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
I WASN'T ABLE TO GET AN INSPECTION STICKER DUE TO THE BROKEN SPIRAL CODES. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM GENERALLY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR THE CAR WHICH IS QUITE NEW AND HAS LOW MIRAGE LIKE MINE. HE MENTIONED THAT THE SPIRAL CODES MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTED BECAUSE HE FOUND SO MANY OF NEWER FORD CARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED ME TO ASK FORD COMPANY FOR ANY RE-CALL INFORMATION. I CALLED FORD AND EXPLAINED IT BUT THERE WAS NO RE-CALL OR NO FINANCIAL AIDES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAD TO COVER THE COST, ABOUT $400, BY MYSELF. I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRAL CODES WERE DEFECTED FROM THE BEGINNING. I FIRMLY REQUEST FOR A STRICT INVESTIGATION.
NHTSA complaint #760179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Summersville, WV
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
TAPE GETS STUCK IN TAPE DECK AND WON'T PLAY OR EJECT. IT JUST MAKES A WHINING NOISE. HEATER/DEFROST DOESN'T WANT TO WORK IN EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #751985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Independence, MO
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T GET COLD--CAR ALSO IDLES VERY LOW TO THE POINT WHERE IT STALLS OUT.
NHTSA complaint #739152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miami, FL
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
WHEN CAR IS OFF THE RADIO CAUSES A POP IN THE SPEAKERS INDICATING THAT POWER IS STILL ON.
NHTSA complaint #739303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, UN
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THE TAPE DECK EATS TAPES AND RADIO GETS VERY WARM AND MAKES CLIKING NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #784109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FT Myers, FL
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AFTER BEING TURNED ON. WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE ELECTRICAL MODULAR WAS BROKEN. THE PART NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. THE PART FAILED THE TEST & VEHICLE'S AIR CONDITIONER WAS REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #865242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Greenville, TN
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WATER IS BLOWING OUT OF A/C AND AIR VENTS AND DROPPING ON FLOORBOARD. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR HOW TO CORRECT IT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #864584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oakhoma City, OK
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
A/C UNIT IS BLOWING OUT HOT AIR, AND THERE IS WATER LEAKING OUT OF THE A/C UNIT. WATER IS GETTING ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. DEALER CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #847011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bakersfield, CA
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONING IS WORKING ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER SHADE OR IF IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, CAUSING A HEALTH HAZARD.CONSUMER MUST SHUT ALL VENTS EXCEPT ONE TO GET SOME AIR TO BLOW, BUT VEHICLE IS STILL HOT.
NHTSA complaint #841164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lexington, SC
EQUIPMENT
VEHICLE INTERMITENTLY EMITS CHEMICAL ODOR SIMILAR TO THE ODOR OF INSECT. FIRST TRIP TO DEALER BLAMED ON RUBBER FLOOR MATS NEXT TRIP BLAMED ON STICKERS AND UNDERCOAT ON PIPES BURNING CLAIMED WOULD BE GONE BY 1,500 MILES ODORGITATION AM GOING TO HAVE TO PARK VEHICLE TO REGAIN HE ALTH IF NO EXPLAINATION FOUND TO STOP CHEMICAL DISCHARGE
NHTSA complaint #707389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.